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I think I've just lost my first VR. I'll confirm when the new one arrives and I swap it in. The thought occurred to me that I could mount it inside the cabin, and out of the hot engine environment. Has anyone done this? What do you think?

Seems like it couldn't hurt to keep it out of the heat.

Interestingly, I've had to replace every coil of the ignition system at least once and especially the secondary coils multiple times through several generations of coils (red, new red, green, and an 8 ohm black one I tried). All this in 400 hours. But I've never had a problem with the voltage regulator. Curious to learn what you find out. I'm still using one that dates back ~10 years, not sure if the part has changed since then.

Seems some suspected VR failures actually end up being alternator/generator failures instead.

gammaxy wrote:Seems some suspected VR failures actually end up being alternator/generator failures instead.

Hope not, as that part is more expensive and much harder to replace. I do still have a normal RPM indication, which is hopeful but not a guarantee.

I mounted mine to the skin of the airplane to the left of the pilots knee, been there for years. Nice 100 mph breeze keeping the skin cool.
Jerry

Jerry09w wrote:I mounted mine to the skin of the airplane to the left of the pilots knee, been there for years. Nice 100 mph breeze keeping the skin cool.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry, that is exactly what I was thinking.

Just make sure you think through any downsides. The firewall is there to keep things that may cause fire or smoke out of the cockpit. Putting the voltage regulator inside moves the two high amperage wires coming off the alternator as well as the lead running from the battery to the regulator that will have the full power of the battery on it now inside the cockpit with you. A short in any of those wires inside the cockpit could get bad quickly. If you are going to put the regulator inside then at least consider putting some inline fuses on those wires before they pass through the firewall.

Good point Keith. Does anyone know what the voltage and current out of the stator is?

Bryan Cotton wrote:Good point Keith. Does anyone know what the voltage and current out of the stator is?

approx 23v to 27v AC at 3000 RPM when measuring across the alternator leads by themselves disconnected from the regulator. Just did that awhile back when checking my regulator circuit. That would be no load so current not a factor with that measurement.

Bryan Cotton wrote:I think I've just lost my first VR. I'll confirm when the new one arrives and I swap it in. The thought occurred to me that I could mount it inside the cabin, and out of the hot engine environment. Has anyone done this? What do you think?

I mount mine with a rubber Adel clamp to the top tube of the Engine mount. I have 2 vents in the top cowl as per the turbo install advice. I suspect I get some good airflow in the back part on my engine Compartment as that hot turbo air gets sucked out those top vents.

IMHO, keep the fire wall as intact as possible. mount regulator on 1" or so standoffs to seperate from mounting directly on firewall,or find an aluminum heat sink,attach regulator to it with heat sink compound, mount heatsink to standoffs, and plumb 1" dia air duct from topside of engine to blow directly on regulator. I have done this cold air for the regulator, and electronic and mag ignition modules. I have no overheating problems with engine from redirecting a bit of cool air this way, but dont get carried away and put more that small diameter ducting as it may lower differential cooling pressures inside the cowl. I also increased the seaplane lip on the bottom opening, and the area increased by 25%.